Saed Hindash/The Star-LedgerJohan Hedberg, who came in for Martin Brodeur in Thursday's shootout win, likely will start tonight for the Devils in Nashville. Hedberg is 2-0 with a 1.14 goals-against average.

Brodeur, who had to leave Thursday night’s game against the Los Angeles Kings after one period when he landed on the shoulder while making a save, accompanied the team to Nashville. But he did not practice with the team today and is likely to be a spectator when the Devils meet the Predators Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena.

“He feels better,“ general manager Lou Lamoriello said.

The Devils did not call up a goalie from the minors, although Lamoriello left open that possibility.

“Not right now. I won’t say we won’t, but not right now,” he said.

Lamoriello also said the decision to send rookie forward Adam Henrique to Albany (AHL) had nothing to do with the possibility of signing defenseman Anton Stralman.

The plan for Henrique is to play games for Albany this weekend and then return to the Devils.

“He’s not in our lineup, so he’s going to go and play a couple of games over the weekend,” Lamoriello explained.

Will he be back after the weekend?

“That’s the plan,” Lamoriello said.

Henrique, the club’s fourth selection (82nd overall in the third round) in 2008, has played two games this season. He was scoreless and minus-1. Henrique did not play Thursday night against the Kings.

Brodeur, who suffered his injury when he made a blocker save on L.A.’s Alec Martinez at 8:26 of the first period, does not think the problem is serious. He has tweaked the same shoulder several times.

In the meantime, Hedberg is 2-0 with a league-leading 1.14 goals-against average.

“We know that when Heddy steps in, he does a great job,” Patrik Elias said. “It’s nice to have both goalies that you can count on. We know that Marty is capable and you know what Heddy has done for us for a couple of years. No one doubts that he will do his job.”
Consequently, there is no reason to rush Brodeur.